


Saying Goodbye

by Ncredible



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: Ava meets Quentin, Black siren - Freeform, F/F, Heavy Angst, Hospitals, Major character death - Freeform, Meeting the Parents, Sad Ending, cameo of John Constantine, relationship limbo, theory for Arrow Season 6 finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-05
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-02 10:05:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14542341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ncredible/pseuds/Ncredible
Summary: Oliver calls Sara and lets her know that her father has been badly injured in his fight to take down Diaz. He tell hers that she will have to say her goodbyes. Quentin and Sara share one final conversation.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This came about from hearing that Paul Blackthorne wouldn't be returning for Arrow season 7 as well as hearing that Caity Lotz would be guest starring in the season finale. 
> 
> For this fic keep in mind that Sara knows about Black Siren but hasn't met her and hasn't shown any interest in doing so. (if anyone could tell me if there is an episode across the Arrowverse where this explicitly discussed I would be grateful to know which episode it's in.) 
> 
> Also I know nothing about medicine. So for this suspend the disbelief you might have that Quentin would be talking if he was hours away from dying. 
> 
> All mistakes are mine.

We are all standing around the office listening to Constantine’s latest encounter with the demons we accidently unleashed with Mallus. This year, I’ve decided that no matter how insane I’m gonna let Nate or Ray pick how we handle the new evil. That way I don’t have to deal with the jokes about this being my fault. I mean, the boys couldn’t come up with that bad of plan, could they.

“So, what you’re saying, all of these demons are connected somehow?” I clarify.

“Yes, love, I believe they are.” Constantine says.

“Great, just great.” I say out loud. 

“Captain Lance, there is an incoming transmission from Mr. Queen.” Gideon alerts us. Great. What could be going on in Star City so bad that Oliver needs help. God. I hope it’s not more Nazis. That was just… strange. 

“Put it on,” I tell the A.I. as everyone files out of the office onto the bridge and they disperse to other parts of the Waverider.

“Ah. Oliver, mate it’s been too long.” Constantine booms when Oliver’s face comes on.

“John,” Oliver says with a nod of his head, “I was hoping to talk with Sara alone.”

Constantine nods his head and brings up a smoke to lips and a match to light it. The war wages on between Gideon and him about smoking on the ship. I smile when Gideon comes on to remind Constantine that the Waverider is a smoke free zone.

I turn back to the screen and notice the serious look Oliver has on his face, “What is it, Ollie?”

“You need to get to Star City now. Your dad… your dad is in the hospital and the doctors aren’t sure he’ll make it.” Oliver tells me bluntly. He looks devastated. When I register what he said I feel like my legs might give out and I stumble to the chair to sit down.

“Ollie...”

“Sara, they are telling me that if you want a chance to say goodbye, you should hurry.” Oliver says cutting me off.

With those words I make myself get up and make my way to the jump ship. “Gideon, unless time itself is coming unglued and the only chance of saving it is for the team to be in the field, the Waverider is not to leave the temporal zone. If something with these demons arises while I’m gone have the team call Ava and send John to her.”

“Yes, Captain Lance. Shall I let Director Sharpe what else is going on?” Gideon asks.

“I...” I stop talking Ava and I haven’t had the chance to define our relationship since the Old West and dealing with a dying parent might be too much for an undefined relationship. I settle on, “Let her know that I won’t be with the team for a few days, but I’ll be back.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Gideon set a course on the jump ship to Star City. 2018. Star City Hospital.” I say not wanting to pilot. To worried that I might not get there in time. I get strapped in and the jump ship is off to the coordinates Gideon put in for me.

Felicity is waiting on the roof of the hospital for me. She has tears that she is trying to hide.

“What happened?” I demand.

“Diaz went after your dad when he couldn’t find Black Siren,” Felicity tells me.

“Why would he go after dad because of Laurel’s doppelgänger?” I ask.

“Quentin has been trying to put her on a more... honest path,” Felicity says. I can’t tell if she thinks this was a good idea or not. Right now I don’t care.

She leads me to Dad’s room in silence. There is an Argus protection force throughout the hospital. Felicity goes into a room that has two men that   
make Diggle look scrawny flanking it.

“William? Let’s give Mr. Lance and Sara some time?” Felicity calls and I notice the kid sitting by my dad’s bedside.

“I hope you get better Mr. Lance,” William says. He kinda looks like Oliver when we were kids. I think absently.

“Thanks, William,” Dad coughs out.

Quietly Felicity says, “William stay with the Argus guards outside I need to talk to Mr. Lance for a second. Okay?”

“Is Dad gonna get the man who did this?” William asks.

“I hope so,” Felicity breaths then more loudly,” William I need to you to wait outside.” With that the kid walks out of the room, but stays where we could all see him from the door.

“Hi daddy,” I say trying to hold back the tears as I walk over to the seat the kid had vacated.

“Oh, baby.” Dad says and grabs my hand when I sit down.

“Oliver said it was bad, but he said to say my goodbyes, but you’re up and talking. It can’t be that bad right?” I say feeling like a little girl again. I know better. I’ve seen this happen before. 

“Yea, the doctors are saying I don’t have much longer,” he says.

“But you’re up. Could they be wrong?” I ask hoping for a miracle.

“I don’t think so,” he tells me, and he starts to cough. I let the tears fall.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, but do you have any idea where Diaz went after.... Oliver can’t beat every lowlife in the city looking for him. Do you have any clue?” Felicity asks.

I stay silent while Dad tries to think. I don’t want the last thing he talks about to be about this, but anything that helps Oliver to get the guy who did this is worth it.

“He was talking about the docks before I passed out.” Dad says.

“Docks. Okay. Got it.” Felicity says. “She leans down and gives Dad a kiss in the cheek. “Oliver would have stayed.”

“No. He needs to get this son of a bitch,” Dad says with conviction, “but I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything.” Felicity promises.

“Don’t let Oliver kill him. Diaz isn’t Darhk. He belongs in a prison not the ground. Don’t let him become the Hood going after him.” 

Felicity sniffles, “I’ll tell him.”

I watch Felicity walk out of the room and put her arm around the kid and they and two guards that weren’t on the door follow them out of sight.

“She’s good with the kid,” I say out loud.

“Yea, I was worried Oliver would have to do it alone, but Felicity really fell all in into motherhood. It’s lucky Oliver found her, he’d be lost with all the science stuff William is into.” Dad says.

“I never thought I live long enough to hear you worry about Oliver,” I try to joke and lighten the mood. The tears are still on my face. I quickly wipe them away.

Dad looks over at me, “Yea, listen about that. You need to visit your mother more often, but keep this,” He gestures around the room, “and the time-travel out of her orbit. I can’t make you stop and I don’t want to I know what you are doing is important. But your mother has already been through so much, that you are not under any circumstances aloud to make her relive burying you again.”

“Daddy, you’re gonna be okay,” I say trying to make sure I’m understood through the tears.

“Promise me, Sara,” Dad says seriously.

“I promise, Daddy.” I say. Dad starts to cough again, “Daddy?” I stand to get a nurse.

“I’m fine,” he’s says after it subsides. We both know it’s a lie, but I don’t push. “There’s something else.”

“Anything, Daddy,” I say. I just want him to keep talking. Anything to keep him hear with me a little longer. 

“I want you to get to know Laurel, I know she isn’t our Laurel, but she needs someone to look out for her too.” Dad says and starts coughing. 

I wait for him to stop coughing before I answer, “I don’t know.”

“Think about?”

“Yea, I’ll think about it,” I promise him. Not really sold on the idea of being anywhere near Laurel’s doppelgänger. It just seems like it would be too hard. A bad imitation of what was. 

I hear the familiar buzzing sound that comes with a portal opening up behind me. I tense and turn around as Ava walks though the portal before it closes behind her.

“What the…” Dad exclaims clearly surprised to see Ava walking through a portal.

“It’s okay, Daddy. She’s a friend,” I turn back and tell him putting a hand on his shoulder.

“And I thought doppelgänger’s and time travel was the strangest it could get,” Dad says and begins to cough. I smile at him, before turning back to Ava.

“I’m sorry, Gideon called and told me about your dad and I wasn’t even thinking. I can leave.” Ava rambles.

“No,” I say quickly making a decision grabbing her arm, “there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Now?” She asks and I nod my head, “Okay,” she says hesitantly. 

“Daddy, this is Ava. I love her. So you have to be nice,” I tell him. I didn’t want him to meet her like this. I was hoping we could go get Chinese or something. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Ava,” Dad says though a coughing fit. I sit back down and take his hand again.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Lance.” Ava says.

“Quentin, is fine.” Dad says coughing, “So tell me, Ava. Do you have any interest in yachts?”

“Dad?” I say incredulously.

“I just don’t want you to go missing for five years.” Dad jokes.

“Uh. No. I actually get sea sick, when I was little…” Ava stops talking and I take her hand with my free one and give hers a squeeze. Ava is still having a hard time with the manufactured memories. She gives me a weak smile and I focus my attention on Dad.

“You gonna take care of my little girl?” Dad asks looking at Ava.

“I can take care of myself, Dad.” I tell him incredulously. 

“I know you can. You’ve always been able to take care of yourself, your mom and Laurel made sure of that. I meant in a more emotional way.” Dad says and begins to cough.

“I will, Mr. Lance,” Ava promises.

“Quentin,” Dad corrects. 

“Quentin,” Ava agrees.

“Sara, baby,” Dad says coughs and continues, “you gonna keep your promises?”

“I’ll visit Mom,” I promise then adds, “I’ll think about the other.”

“Okay good,” He says and begins to cough, but he doesn’t stop.

“Dad?” I ask grabbing his hand with both of mine. 

He stops coughing for a second, “I love you, Sara.”

The tears in my eyes are in full force again brokenly I tell him, “I love you too, Daddy.” I kiss him on his forehead, “tell Laurel, I miss her.”

“I will, I love you so much,” He coughs, and he doesn’t stop and soon the monitor in the corner flatlines. No. No! NO! I need more time. 

I notice Ava leave the bedside and yells, “We need a doctor!”

“Daddy? Daddy?!” I shout shaking him trying to get him to open his eyes. “Daddy don’t go. Daddy. Please come back. Don’t go. Daddy.” 

“Sara, you have to let the doctors do their job,” Ava says softly but firmly.

“No, he just has to wake up. Daddy. Please wake up.” I cry. Ava pulls me away from the bed so that the doctors can get in and do what they can. Ava holds me tightly in her arms and I watch the doctors try to bring him back and the longer they are at it the harder the crying becomes. 

“Time of death. 8:56 pm,” says a doctor and she walks over to me, “I’m so sorry for your loss. We’ll give you a few minutes.”

My sobs intensify, and I wrap my arms around Ava and begin to cry harder. “I’m here, Sara, I’m not going anywhere. I’m here.” Ava repeats into my ear. Placing a soft kiss on the top of my head. Trying to keep me with her and not descend into the darkness.

I pull away from Ava and walk over to Dad. I place a kiss on his forehead again, “I love you, Daddy.” 

I walk back over to Ava and bury my head into her shoulder and cry. She wraps her arms around me and lets me break down.


	2. Chapter 2

I shake myself awake after a nightmare about Dad dying. It was much worse than at the hospital. There was blood everywhere and that was bad, but what woke me wasn’t Dad, but Mom was right next to him. I wake up and I am in Ava’s bedroom in Star City.

“Hey, it’s okay. You’re okay,” Ava soothes placing her hand over my heart and just as always this calm me down. I take the hand I had on my forehead and move it to cover Ava’s over my heart. 

“I don’t want to have to do this,” I tell her. 

“I know, but I’ll be there for you every step of the way.” Now that my heartbeat has returned to normal I lay my head on her shoulder and cuddle into her waiting arms. 

“I don’t think I could get through this without you.” I tell her. 

Ava shuffles a bit before saying, “you could try to get some more sleep if you want. We don’t have to get up and ready for another couple of hours.”

I close my eyes, but I know I won’t sleep, but I don’t want to move from Ava’s arms. Today I am burying my father and I want to delay that for as long as I can. I sigh into Ava’s touch as she strokes my hair.

“Sara? Sweetie?” Ava says softly.

“What. Huh?” I blink awake and notice that it is now light outside. 

“I’m sorry for waking you, but we should get up and get ready,” Ava says gently.

I throw the covers off me and move to get in the shower without another word. I methodically shower and put on the suit I had decided to wear last night. I am sitting in front of a small vanity that Ava as set up in her bedroom. I feel more than see Ava come back into the room. She bends down and gives me a hug from behind and settles her head on my shoulder.

“I’m burying my dad today,” I say despite Dad having died eight days ago it still doesn’t seem real. 

“I know,” Ava says, “I’m going to be by your side all day for whatever you need. And the Legends will all be there today too. And Oliver. Your mom said she would meet us here and we would all go together.”

“I don’t know how I am going to explain Laurel’s doppelgänger, not being there today.” I say. I had called Oliver last night and asked him to get ahold of Black Siren and make sure she wasn’t seen. I know her and Dad got close this year, but seeing her would make this a hundred times harder for me. He promised to track her down and let her know. He mentioned he was planning on it because my mom was coming back for the funeral and he didn’t want her to have go through all of that.

“Your mom knows about her?” Ava asks surprised.

“Yea apparently she told the world she was our Laurel months ago in an attempt to make it harder for Dinah to kill her.” When Ava’s face scrunches into her confused look I say, “it’s harder to kill a beloved public figure. And short of admitting to the world that the multiverse is real. We all have to pretend she’s Laurel. At least in public.”

“Why hasn’t your mom said anything about her,” Ava asks.

“Dad gave her a pretty convincing story. I think it was some version of what the Human Target does. I don’t know, but everyone even Black Siren has agreed to keeping Mom away from the craziness that is our lives.”

There’s a knock at the door. It must be Mom. One of the many reasons we stayed at Ava’s last night was because she actually lives in Star City and this place has a physical address. One I could give Mom. I’m gonna have to get a PO Box or something, I think. It’s never much having been presumed dead for five years then actually dead for a year, but what little mail I do get went to Dad’s apartment. 

“I’ll get it. You take your time,” Ava says and places a soft kiss on my cheek before heading for the door. 

“Mrs. Lance,” I can hear Ava say. Ava and I still haven’t defined anything about our relationship, but she’s met both my parents and I’ve have spent every night of the last eight nights wrapped up in bed with Ava because I can’t bare to be alone right now. 

“Ava, is Sara ready?” Mom asks.

“She’s… still getting ready. Shouldn’t be to much longer.” Ava says. 

Silence over takes the other room as I try to make myself stand up and go out there. 

“You and Sara work together, right?” 

“Yes,” Ava answers hesitantly.

“I suppose that if I were to call up every government agency I wouldn’t find you actually listed as an employee.” I am standing by the door rooted to the spot as my mom asks this.

“I… you would find me listed with the Bureau because I am an Agent.” Ava says. I wonder if all Time Agents are, at least on paper, affiliated with one government agency or another. 

“I just mean Sara came back there is a lot that hasn’t ever been explained in a way that makes sense. Like how Sara came back two years ago. Now I know from Quentin that the answer is better left to the imagination. I’m just…. Sara is all that is left of my family. She’s my little girl. Just keep her safe. Please?”

“Of course, Mrs. Lance. I’ll always have Sara’s back.” Ava tells her. 

“You inspire more confidence than that fellow who passed out at the restaurant last  
night.” Mom says. 

I laugh, Mick and the other Legends sat at the diner Ava, Mom and I had dinner at last night until we left. Mick ended up passing out from the 12 pack he brought with him. 

“Mr. Rory isn’t so bad,” Ava says diplomatically. 

Mom makes a sound that says she isn’t convinced and I decide I have hid out in here long enough. I take and deep breath and make my way out to   
the living room.

“Mom,” I call out. Mom immediately pulls me into a hug. 

“You ready?” she asks.

“No,” I tell her.

“Me neither, but putting it off won’t make it easier,” she tells me. 

I pull away from her hug, “about what you and Ava were talking about…”

“I don’t know that I will ever be ready to hear the truth about what has been going on since you came home to us, but you keep yourself safe.” She tells me. 

I want to tell her, just so she knows everything. So that I’m not alone with this secret among the Lance’s, but instead I just nod because Dad’s right we shouldn’t tell Mom. I never wanted him to know, I can’t burden her with that too. I pull her into another hug.

***

We are gathered around the plot with Dad’s casket draped with a flag over in the middle. True to her word, Ava hasn’t left my side, she has kept my hand firmly in hers. With my other hand in my mom’s hands. The Legends are standing behind me. Across from me there is Oliver and Felicity. Felicity is silently crying and has an arm wrapped around William, who is crying too. Oliver has his arm around Thea, who came back to town for the funeral. The rest of Team Arrow is standing by him. I’m kind of surprised to see Barry, Iris and Iris’ dad here. Oliver said they were busy with some Thinker. 

“Mr. Queen, you wanted to say a few words?” The preacher asks when he has said his part. 

“Yes, thank you.” Oliver says and shakes the preachers hand and turns and looks out at us, “I have known Quentin Lance for most of my life. He… uh understandably wasn’t always my biggest fan,” Oliver chuckles but it doesn’t reach his eyes, “but in recent years he had become confidant and a friend. And after my mother’s passing he became a surrogate father to me and my sister, Thea and he gave us both advice only a parent could. For that I am deeply grateful. Losing Mr. Lance is devastating for all of us here, but it is also a lose for the city he loved. My hope is that this city, as well as myself, are able to honor him by doing better and seeing the best in people just like he did.” 

The tears that I had been holding back finally break through. Seeing Ollie praise my father and knowing that I am not the only one mourning a father today is too much. I put my head on Ava’s shoulder and begin to cry. She squeezes my hand to let me know that she is there. The rest of whatever Oliver said doesn’t make much of an impression, but soon the casket is being lower into the ground. 

Mom gives my hand a squeeze and moves to talk with some of her and Dad’s old friends. Barry and Iris make their way over to me.

“Sara, I am so sorry,” Iris says and gives me a hug that I return letting go of Ava’s hand for the first time since getting out of the car at the entrance to the cemetery. 

“Thanks for coming, all of you.” I say looking over at Barry and to Detective West. Barry gives me a hug and Detective West gives a sort of head nod to acknowledge the loss before the three of them move off to talk to Wally. 

Thea comes up next, “Sara, I’m sorry. I would have come back if Ollie had told me how bad it was. I would have…”

I pull her into a hug, “this isn’t your fault. It isn’t Ollie’s either.” I let go of her and look her in the eye before continuing, “this isn’t on you and I don’t want you blaming yourself. Deal?”

“Yea,” Thea says and gives me another hug, “Roy sends his sympathies, he wanted to be here, but, he might not be the hood anymore, but the world does think he is still dead.”

“I saw him when I got here,” I tell her. It’s true. I had seen a few people that didn’t actually come over for the funeral. 

“Yea, um about that.” Thea starts but instead of finishing her statement hands me and envelope, “it’s from Nyssa. She didn’t want to intrude.”

I pull Thea into another hug, “tell her thank you for coming.” 

“I will.” Thea promises and gives me the envelope. Thea starts to make her way over to William who is talking with Mom. I look down at the envelope and see ‘Beloved’ written across it in Nyssa neat handwriting. I tuck it into my jacket pocket not ready to read what she has written for me just yet. 

“Sara,” Ollie says pulling me out of my trance. 

I give him a hug, “nice speech.”

“I hope I did Quentin justice,” Oliver says. 

“It’s strange, you giving Dad’s eulogy speech.” Oliver nods his head in agreement. “There’s actually something I wanted to talk to you about.”

“We don’t have to do that now. Whatever it is I’m sure it could wait until later.” Oliver says. 

“Maybe, but if I don’t say this now, I might get on the Waverider and never ask you for this favor.”

“What is it?” Oliver asks concerned. 

“Dad wanted me to look out for Laurel’s doppelgänger,”

“Sara, you don’t…”

“I wasn’t gonna do it, but I saw her on the ridge,” I nod my head where she is still standing. 

Oliver looks up at the ridge and mutters, “I told her to stay out of sight, Sara, I’m so sorry.”

“League training was why I saw her. But, um… whatever else she is…. Her being here is proof enough for me that she cared about him.”

“I think so,” Oliver tells me.

“I can’t meet her,” I start to sniffle.

“Hey,” Oliver pulls me into a hug, “you don’t have to ever.”

I pull out of the hug, “just keep trying. With her. For Dad.”

“For Quentin,” Oliver promises, “Sara, I am so sorry for…”

“No.” I tell him firmly, “it wasn’t your fault. Don’t ever for a second believe that. Dad. Laurel. They weren’t your fault, Ollie. You keep fighting for the city they loved.”

“I will,” Oliver promises, “Felicity and I thought it might be best to do something fun with William after. You and Mrs. Lance are welcomed to join if wanted.”

“I think I’ll pass. I want to lose it a little and drink too much,” I tell him.

Oliver nods like he expected this answer then asks, “stop by for dinner before you leave? I’ll cook.”

“Yea, that sounds good. There’s someone I want you to officially meet.” I tell him.

Oliver looks over to where Ava is standing by the Legends, “I would be honored to meet her.”

I give Oliver a kiss on the cheek and he makes his way over to Felicity and William. I turn and walk back over to where Ava is standing. Ava holds her arms up and I walk right into the warm embrace. 

“Take me home, make me forget about today.” I ask.

“Of course.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Kudos and comments keep the creative juices flowing.


End file.
